Blithe Spirit, Geilgud Theatre, London

Two weeks ago,, I was privileged to be in the audience of Blithering Spirit at the Geilgud Theatre. I was there with friends to see a Broadway and Hollywood Legend and Icon, Oscar and Tony award winner newly created, Dame Angela Lansbury.

To say it was a master class in acting would be an understatement, it was a master class in how an actress should be, star quality by the bucket load.

The moment the Dame appeared on the stage, the audience went wild with applause. The 88 year old, yes I have written that correctly, defied her age and was as agile as anyone half her age. She had the audience eating out of her hand for the whole performance and her trance scene once everyone was assembled around the table was nothing short of amazing.

If you can, beg, steal or simply try to get a return for this sell out show. Dame Angela Lansbury is back where she belongs, the London Stage!

 

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State visit to Windsor

This week saw the historic State Visit of Michael D Higgins, the President of the Irish Republic to Windsor as the guest of HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. I was fortunate enough to be in the be crowd that saw all the pomp and ceremony associated with such a visit.

Everything was pulled out for this visit as it was the first time ever that the Head of State of our nearest neighbour had ever visited the UK, this followed the visit of HM The Queen to the Irish Republic in 2011. Both visits are the final stage of the peace process between both countries.

The Australian State Coach carrying HM The Queen and The President.

the Glass Coach carrying HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and Mrs Higgins.

TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall in a state landau.

I took many other photos of the event, too many to post on my blog, but it may post some of the others later.

 

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HM The Queen in Windsor

As part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations two years, Windsor decided that as it was the home of The Queen, it was only right that the town should have a lasting reminder of The Queens sixty year reign.

And so two weeks ago, The Queen, accompanied by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and HRH The Duke of Cambridge, drove from the Castle to the roundabout adjacent to The Long Walk to unveil a statue of two Windsor Greys.

 

 

 

 

I was fortunate enough to be there at the unveiling as I only live five minutes away and managed to get these wonderful photographs of the royal trio. I was very happy we the images and also my new camera lens.

 

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2014

My first blog of 2014 and so far this year has been very busy. Saying that, I have managed to see one show, Stephen Sondheim's Putting It Together at the new St James Theatre, just around the corner from Buckingham Palace.

The cast do the show was amazing, especially I know that some of them had come straight from pants at various shows across the country.

Sondheim's shows are becoming more popular now and having seen quite a few in the last few years, I have come to appreciate them and also enjoy them. I have always loved the Jerry Herman style of show and indeed still do, but I also can hum a Sondheim tune too now.

If you get chance, go see the show, it has one week left to run and it a wonderful evening out.

 

 

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Basildon Park, a NT house.

A few Sundays ago, I decided to visit one of the National Trust property's that is fairly local to where I live but have never managed to get there. Basildon Park is a beautiful house and it has an amazing past, most of which I'd fairly recent.

During the war, the building was used by the armed forces. It was left in a very bad state of repair when hostilities ceased and the house was put up for sale. The house and estate was purchased by Lord and Lady Iliffe and they both set out to restore the house back to its former glory. Lord and Lady Iliffe owned national newspapers and so had the funds to refurbish the house.

With the refurbishment, the house took on a homely feel as that is exactly what it became, a home. Lord and Lady Iliffe lived here and enjoyed the house to its fullest. As can be seen from the kitchen images, it was very much home and the owners liked to entertain.

The kitchen is fitted very much to the era when it was installed, during the 1950's. Many of the items in the kitchen will be recognised by many people.

This is a great place to visit and the house was lived in by Lady Iliffe until her death in 2007. Once the house had been fully refurbished, Lord and Lady Iliffe handed over the house and grounds to the National Trust with a large endowment in 1978, although both continued to live there until their respective deaths.

 

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Cunard's Queen Elizabeth

A wonderful day yesterday at the Eastern Docks in Southampton. A tour and lunch on board this amazing ship with great friends and it was so good to be able to see areas of the ship that would normally be off limits, such as the Queen Staterooms, off limits simply because they would be occupied during a cruise, and not by me!

We were shown every part of the ship and it really is amazing when you see a full size theatre with boxes on board a ship! Not only that, there was a ballroom, many restaurants, bars, lounges, all for the comfort of the passengers. I know from being on a transatlantic crossing last year on the Queen Mary 2, a cruise is very relaxing.

The inside of the ship is as you would expect, wonderfully over the top and everything there for the comfort of the passengers. The staterooms are wonderfully appointed from the inside ones to the larger ones with everything and more.

This is the Royal Court Theatre and below, the lounge area of a Queen Stateroom.

Below is a balcony stateroom.

Being on board certainly whetted my appetite to book a cruise and I am sure one will be booked soon!

 

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Views of Old Windsor

Windsor has two parts, Old Windsor and New Windsor, although New Windsor is usually known simply as Windsor. Windsor has the Castle and is known for its association with the Royal Family. Old Windsor was actually in place before New Windsor as a Saxon settlement and was the home of Saxon Kings. I am not sure if there are any remains of the Saxon settlements but items would have been found that confirm the existence of these settlements.

There are a few islands in the river along this part of Old Windsor and these would have been easier to defend during this period. Now Old Windsor consists of residential homes and is a place that most people drive through. However, it is a great place to live and being so close to the river Thames, the is always something happening.

 

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